Advantages to booking directly with Carnival vs. booking with third parties?

[mikeerdas]

I'm looking at cruises on Carnival (specifically the Dream) and have mostly cruised with RCL.

 

When I book on RCL, I always book direct. This way I have control over my booking. Meaning RCL has always honored price drops when I've asked. Not sure if third parties will do this. I've heard it's a mixed bag.

 

With Carnival, what do I need to know about direct booking versus booking with third parties? Are there advantages to booking one way or the other?

[gemsm]

I'm looking at cruises on Carnival (specifically the Dream) and have mostly cruised with RCL.

 

When I book on RCL, I always book direct. This way I have control over my booking. Meaning RCL has always honored price drops when I've asked. Not sure if third parties will do this. I've heard it's a mixed bag.

 

With Carnival, what do I need to know about direct booking versus booking with third parties? Are there advantages to booking one way or the other?

 

Seems to me since there are no pricing discounts and it is very easy to fill out the price drops forms yourself that there really isn't an advantage to booking with a 3rd party unless they are offering mega onboard credit or something

[firefly333]

If you book ES rates, you can submit the price drops yourself, not have to hope a TA does it.

 

You can see the billing details on the booking, which are blocked if you book with a TA.

 

If you have issues, like I do, I would have lost some if not booked direct, so there were internal notes to back up what I originally booked.

 

(like I booked 2 at ES rate and the 3rd pax at past guest rate, submitted a price drop and the price drop rep decided to change the rate of the 3rd pax). I eventually did cancel him so it would have cost me $250/his deposit.)

 

I find for issues, Im better having a good PVP who works direct for Carnival.

[cruisin1982]

more to book with a TA they charged us $25 to book the cruise the second cruise we took we called Carnival and booked it with them. I don't think I will ever book a cruise with a TA unless they were going to give us a OBC or some other perk.

 

Mike

[mikeerdas]

Seems like all providers offer the Early Savings discount, so that's a good thing. But for the reasons you've mentioned, I'll probably stick with booking directly with Carnival.

 

Still, I'm wondering what type of OBC deals might I lose out on if I book directly. What is typical for a 7 night sailing in an interior cabin with a TA? If it's $50, I'm not going to worry about it. For $100 OBC, I might consider it. But it's probably not worth it. $200 would be a different story.

 

Being new to Carnival, I don't know what to expect.

[StarCruz]

I've only booked my first cruise so don't have that much experience, and I would've a lot better off had I discovered this site before my booking.

 

In any case I tried booking directly through Carnival and ging through a TA. I didn't know what I was looking for so had lots of questions. I found Carnival would push the upgrades to higher priced rooms, while our TA was really helpful and suggested things like why picking a room with 2 uppers with two young kids is a bad idea. In the end I booked with the TA, but in the future I would just rely on cruise critic for questions and book directly because now I know what I'm looking for.

[firefly333]

Seems like all providers offer the Early Savings discount, so that's a good thing. But for the reasons you've mentioned, I'll probably stick with booking directly with Carnival.

 

Still, I'm wondering what type of OBC deals might I lose out on if I book directly. What is typical for a 7 night sailing in an interior cabin with a TA? If it's $50, I'm not going to worry about it. For $100 OBC, I might consider it. But it's probably not worth it. $200 would be a different story.

 

Being new to Carnival, I don't know what to expect.

 

Back in the days when they could discount, I got about $58.

 

For a 7 day on RCL inside, I got $50 OBC.

 

But they charged $25 per person for each price drop, so I decided to gamble and not take the OBC.

 

I found one TA offering $100, with a $100 cancel penalty.

[firefly333]

I didn't know what I was looking for so had lots of questions. I found Carnival would push the upgrades to higher priced rooms, while our TA was really helpful and suggested things like why picking a room with 2 uppers with two young kids is a bad idea. In the end I booked with the TA, but in the future I would just rely on cruise critic for questions and book directly because now I know what I'm looking for.

 

Im sure there are good and bad TAs and PVPs. I have never had my PVP try to push anything on me.

[mikeerdas]

Back in the days when they could discount, I got about $58.

 

For a 7 day on RCL inside, I got $50 OBC.

 

But they charged $25 per person for each price drop, so I decided to gamble and not take the OBC.

 

I found one TA offering $100, with a $100 cancel penalty.

 

Thanks Firefly. Are there other ways to get free OBC when booking directly with Carnival? For example:

 

* If you own a certain amount of CCL stock, can you get OBC? You can with RCL. I once bought enough stock to get free OBC on a single sailing. Then sold the stock later at a minor profit. Worked for me.

 

* Do you get OBC for future bookings if you book on the ship? RCL does, or did, offer this. You'd put a generic deposit down on an unspecified future sailing and get a certain amount of OBC for doing so.

 

* Does CCL offer a rewards credit card? In the past, I've gotten the no annual fee RCL credit card and received two $50 OBC certificates. Wife did the same. This gave us $200 of OBC on a 7 night cruise. We canceled the cards a few months after the savings

 

Loved playing the OBC game on RCL. Wondering if I can do this with Carnival.

[hubofhockey]

We use a wholesale club TA and they give us $100 to $200 giftcard when booking with them. I think most of the wholesale club TAs have identical deals. We always get great service from them. If there was a good reason to book directly with the cruiseline, I would. But I'm not about to give up on $100 to $200 every cruise.

[runner15km]

I like my current TA, she seems to know more about the Carnival brand then some Carnival reps. Plus the $75.00 OBC is nice.

[firefly333]

We use a wholesale club TA and they give us $100 to $200 giftcard when booking with them. I think most of the wholesale club TAs have identical deals. We always get great service from them. If there was a good reason to book directly with the cruiseline, I would. But I'm not about to give up on $100 to $200 every cruise.

 

You must be booking more expensive cruises as not all people are getting $100. Iv never gotten even $60 on my cheaper 7 days inside in Sept.

 

Dont forget to mention that there is a $25 pp fee for every price drop you ask them to process.

 

If you are willing to pay fees to get OBC, this is fine and works better if you are booking more expensive bookings. Its always a trade off.

[mikeerdas]

You must be booking more expensive cruises as not all people are getting $100. Iv never gotten even $60 on my cheaper 7 days inside in Sept.

 

Dont forget to mention that there is a $25 pp fee for every price drop you ask them to process.

 

If you are willing to pay fees to get OBC, this is fine and works better if you are booking more expensive bookings. Its always a trade off.

 

I am a member of BJs. Never thought of looking what they have to offer. Wouldn't want to pay $50 to request a price drop. I thought no matter who I booked through that I could request a price drop myself.

 

On the other hand, maybe it's worth the risk to lock in $100 OBC (if that's what it is for an inside cabin on a 7 night cruise--doubtful). It would be equivalent to getting a $50 pp price drop.

[tef43]

I thought no matter who I booked through that I could request a price drop myself.

No, unless you booked direct with Carnival, you must go through your TA.

[firefly333]

I am a member of XXX. Never thought of looking what they have to offer. Wouldn't want to pay $50 to request a price drop. I thought no matter who I booked through that I could request a price drop myself.

 

On the other hand, maybe it's worth the risk to lock in $100 OBC (if that's what it is for an inside cabin on a 7 night cruise--doubtful). It would be equivalent to getting a $50 pp price drop.

 

Its against the rules to discuss specifically who you might book with or booked with.

 

If you get $100 OBC ... again, its not on a cheap 7 days. I have yet to get $100 OBC from a TA.

 

Dont forget with every price drop the OBC might be dropped PLUS the $25 pp fee ... so those price drops come at a price. If the price drops the TA makes less commission and the OBC comes out of their commission under the table.

 

I started booking direct with Carnival due to all the above, if its ES rates especially I would not book with a TA. Fewer hours to reach them, waiting on hold for hours when I can call my PVP .. and the rewards are a gamble, if you wind up with price drops losing the OBC and the fees can add up.

[mikeerdas]

Its against the rules to discuss specifically who you might book with or booked with.

 

If you get $100 OBC ... again, its not on a cheap 7 days. I have yet to get $100 OBC from a TA.

 

Dont forget with every price drop the OBC might be dropped PLUS the $25 pp fee ... so those price drops come at a price. If the price drops the TA makes less commission and the OBC comes out of their commission under the table.

 

I started booking direct with Carnival due to all the above, if its ES rates especially I would not book with a TA. Fewer hours to reach them, waiting on hold for hours when I can call my PVP .. and the rewards are a gamble, if you wind up with price drops losing the OBC and the fees can add up.

 

Thanks Firefly. Sorry about mentioning a potential provider. Booking for Carnival directly.

[firefly333]

You never think you will cancel either. I dont know if the one you mentioned does booking, but some similar do, and the $25 pp fee also applies if you have to cancel.

[mikeerdas]

Getting ready to enter payment info. One last question. My Time Dining or early dining? And can I change this after the fact but before sailing?

 

We prefer to eat as early as possible--sounds like 5:45pm for the Dream vs. 6pm for early. And we prefer to dine alone, table for two.

[*Mach*]

I'm looking at cruises on Carnival (specifically the Dream) and have mostly cruised with RCL.

 

When I book on RCL, I always book direct. This way I have control over my booking. Meaning RCL has always honored price drops when I've asked. Not sure if third parties will do this. I've heard it's a mixed bag.

 

With Carnival, what do I need to know about direct booking versus booking with third parties? Are there advantages to booking one way or the other?

 

 

It sounds to me like you've got it figured out. Booking direct give you control. Some TAs charge to process price protection requests making the entire exercise worthless...

:)

[mikeerdas]

Went ahead and booked on the Riviera Deck, mid-ship but more toward the aft of mid-ship.

 

Chose My Time Dining and to pre-pay gratuities. In my experience with RCL, I prefer to pre-pay and not have to worry about it later on. Hope that was a wise choice with Carnival.

 

Thanks to all for the help on this and other threads.

[*Mach*]

Went ahead and booked on the Riviera Deck, mid-ship but more toward the aft of mid-ship.

 

Chose My Time Dining and to pre-pay gratuities. In my experience with RCL, I prefer to pre-pay and not have to worry about it later on. Hope that was a wise choice with Carnival.

 

Thanks to all for the help on this and other threads.

 

 

Most excellent! Enjoy your cruise!

:)

[molole]

I know we are not allowed to discuss TA's here. But is there a website where we can?

 

Are these TA's everyone here talks about actually people? Or just websites? Where and how do you find out who or what are good TA's? I am so curious. Is there a website where we can discuss TA's? I want to learn more but I can't seem to find out how. :confused:

 

I am asking because I only know how to booking through either cruise lines themselves or major travel websites (the ones you book your flights with). And I seem to have nothing but bad luck with any websites I work with so far. The first time I lost the whole cruise for good (didn't lose any money). The second time the TA didn't act fast enough for an ES price drop. And I haven't got any perks or extra OBCs whatsoever.